With changing requirements and airline mergers, keeping track of airlines’ frequent flyer mile programs has become something of a moving target. In recent months, American Airlines filed for bankruptcy, United and Continental finished their merger, and Southwest changed its Rapid Rewards program and is in the process of completing its merger with AirTran.
Why is it so difficult to use frequent flyer miles?
Using your frequent flyer miles can be a challenge. Flights are full, and consumers are accruing miles both when they fly, as well as when they use their rewards credit cards. Colloquy, which tracks the loyalty marketing industry, found that more than 300 million Americans were enrolled in airline loyalty programs in 2010.
You also are likely to encounter blackout dates if you want to fly during peak travel periods. Or you might need to fork over more points to get the flight you want, so a flight that you thought would cost 25,000 points will actually require 50,000 points. And you might face booking fees, so your “free” flights aren’t exactly free.
What other changes have there been?
Despite its bankruptcy filing, American Airlines notified customers that their miles were secure. Continental’s program is being rolled into United’s MileagePlus program, and Southwest and AirTran’s frequent flyer programs are in the process of merging. And last year, Delta announced that its SkyMile points would no longer expire.
How can I make the most of my miles?
Many experts recommend using your frequent flyer miles sooner rather than later so you won’t be caught by surprise if a program changes its policies.
While it can be impossible to predict if an airline is going to change its frequent flyer policies, it helps to keep an eye on major news events affecting the airlines you prefer, like mergers and bankruptcies. Those can be triggers for program changes.
To keep on top of your own frequent flyer miles, you can make use of various websites and apps to do things like track your miles and or get alerts if they’re about to expire. Some options are AwardWallet.com, mileBlaster.com and milewise.com
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